Rurouni Kenshii
by IncandescentKitsune
Summary: How would things have been different, if Himura Kenshin had been born a girl? Genderbender AU, going from the beginning of the series to the end...
1. Chapter 1

**Rating: **M, for blood, violence, and adult implications.

**Pairings: **None in this chapter

**Summary: **How would things have been different, if Himura Kenshin had been born a girl? Genderbender AU, going from the beginning of the series to the end…

**Chapter summary: **We first meet Kenshii and Hiko and Kenshii gets her name…

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It belongs to Nobuhiro Watsuki, Shounen Jump, etc.

_**Rurouni Kenshii**_

_**Chapter One**_

The river had gushed along its path like a white rushing snake for years. Its endless flow had, over time, worn smooth the stones nestled in its banks and underneath its waters. As time passed, the river had dried up, but the stones remained. On one of these smooth stones a man sat, contemplating. He looked up into the sky, the full moon glowing against the velvety blackness of the night._Illness is everywhere in this era, even in its people. So much so, the moon peers down on a diseased world._

Elsewhere, a cart's wheels pressed flowers down as it trundled along a field. A young girl-child, in a light and dark green striped kimono and gray obi, stared tiredly through liquid amethyst eyes at the brightly colored wooden top in her hands.

_There is no cure for this disease._

The little girl bent and picked up a flower that had been uprooted from the ground due to the cart she was walking next to. She looked up at the black haired girl in the red kimono who was walking beside her, then looked back at the flower in her hand. After a moment of intense deliberation, she gestured for the older girl to kneel down, then placed the flower in her surrogate older sister's black hair. After all, flowers were meant to be placed in the hair (preferably behind the ear), and the flower was white – it went much better with black hair than with red.

_The smell of blood is as common as the smell of white plums. Death no longer terrifies man, so he creates slavery and savagery, which surpass the horror of death. It can only be fought with more bloodshed, and the cycle never ends._

The man walked down the path shaded by trees, moonlight streaming through the branches. With each of his long strides his sheathed katana knocked against the bottle of sake he carried, whilst his white cape billowed behind him gently.

_Even if a person of incredible strength were to arise, they would not be able to stop the inevitable. _

_They would be able to do nothing._

She was glad her baby brother had never – and would never, now - know what it was like to be called a demon because of something you were born with, and couldn't help, like your hair and eye color. Mikitsu had been wonderful, a treasure, and he deserved so much more than he got. They all did.

A blood stained blade gleamed in the moonlight, and greedy eyes locked on the caravan passing through the plains. Then clouds cut off the moon's light, throwing the world into darkness.

_This world is headed for destruction._

* * *

Screams cut through the night air, telling a tale of terror and suffering. Bandits, bloodthirsty men with nothing in their hearts but greed, cut down the members of the caravan with no concern for the lives that they were taking.

Screams and chaos filled the air. Feet ran, pounding the road as the members of the caravans ran for their lives, to no avail. A man was cut down from shoulder to hip; another's head was driven through with a spear. A woman was skewered and thrown to the side of the road, the blood seeping through the folds of her obi sash, taking her life with it.

Takuma Gesu sneered to himself as he cut through a man in a peasant's gi and hakama and laughed as the man fell on the grass, staining it with his lifeblood.

Weaklings, all of them. Is there no one here to give me a challenge? Gesu was different from the rest of the bandits by one major point – all the other members of his band wanted to see was gold. All he wanted to see was blood.

Weak, weak, weak. Is there no one here to give me a little sport! He thought as he cut down a man in rough peasant's garments.

He looked past the corpse and a flicker of red caught his eye.

Blood...no… his eyes widened in shock …hair! Red hair. That color …he grinned …it must belong to a demon! Heh, maybe he could get a little sport after all.

Bloody visions dancing in his head, he headed for the little girl who had caught his eye as she struggled to hold a fallen katana in her small hands.

* * *

Ever since her mother had died, she had had no one to rely on but herself. She had had to take care of Mikitsu, who was just a little boy, only three years old, and her father, who had been blinded in an accident. She had had to be mother and daughter, sister and wife – without ever really experiencing someone taking care of her herself. So it was a shock when she had arrived at the caravan, with blistered feet and eyes blinded by tears and met the three girls. The three girls who had adopted her into their small, fractured family, who had wiped away her tears, and soothed her nightmares. The girls who had made her smile and laugh in what seemed the first time in years… she had sworn to protect them as best she could. Protect this small, fractured family, as she had been unable to protect her own.

She would do anything to protect them.

Even break all the rules of sex and class and creed that had been bred into her by her family, by the villagers and by the slavers, and bend down and pick up the sword that one of the men had dropped.

Even change her life forever, and start on a path that would end up staining her very soul with blood.

And she would do it with no regrets.

* * *

Hiko Seijuro the XIII, was not the type of man to believe in anything he couldn't confirm with his own senses. He did not believe in the Shinto gods and goddesses, in Buddha, or any other kind of higher power. He believed in men, and what men could do, and even that had been sorely tested over the years, as he'd seen too many atrocities to count.

But just as he didn't believe in any higher power, he also didn't believe in fate, and, as such, was always tempting it. This, (as anyone who had ever said 'nothing could possibly go wrong' could tell him) was a very bad idea. He had been so sure that nothing could reaffirm his faith in the human race.

He was about to get a bit of a nasty shock.

He'd been walking home from the village where he went to get sake. There was a small village at the foot of the hill he had made his home, which did for supplies, but the people there didn't have very good sake.

If it weren't for that, he never would have heard the screams.

* * *

The little girl tensed as a dark figure approached splattered with blood. The gleam of teeth was a shocking white in a dirt-smeared face – the man was smiling. He was enjoying this. Enjoying the slaughter. If he got his hands on Kasumi-san, Akane-san, and Sakura-san…no. She wouldn't think about that, because it wasn't going to happen.

She wouldn't let it happen.

She would protect them as she had failed to protect her father and Mikitsu.

She launched forward – and lost her grip on the katana as trembling hands pulled her back. The hands belonged to the girl who had received the flower, the one called Kasumi, and she held the redhead close as she and the other girls crouched in fear.

"Don't look" Kasumi whispered, "please, don't look."

Through a small window made by Kasumi's shoulder and neck, the violet eyed girl watched as a member of her little, makeshift family, (Sakura this time) - ran forward to the bandit, crying out for mercy. Not mercy for Sakura though, the girl realized. She was asking him to spare her!

"Please, spare this child, please, I beg of you!"

In an instant, she was cut down. Blood filled the girl's vision.

Sakura…

The same thing happened to Akane, but the child didn't see it this time as Kasumi had thrown her body forward, blocking out the view. But that didn't stop the sounds. The sound of Akane running forward, of her cry as she was cut down without even the time to finish her plea – again, to spare the child…

There was a sob in Kasumi's voice as she cried "Akane!" and then her voice firmed as she raised herself up to look down at the child she was protecting.

"Listen, little one, my life will end here like that of my sisters, but you cannot die yet! You are just a child. You have not chosen your life, as we have been able to. You cannot die now. You must live. Live a full life the way you want to – for the sake of those who died here tonight--"

She wasn't able to finish her sentence as a rough hand hauled her up by her hair. The bandit sneered and raised his sword, and then, with one swift movement, thrust it through Kasumi's neck. The little girl gasped, as Kasumi placed her trembling hands on the sword that was now covered in blood. The black haired-girl's mouth formed words that could barely be heard.

"Live dear heart."

The bandit ripped his sword away and dropped Kasumi who fell on the ground in a heap, her face turned towards the little girl who she and her sisters had practically adopted in the short time they had known her. She had to tell her, somehow. When someone is close to death, sometimes they can see things others can't. Kasumi knew that her 'imouto' was not meant for this fate, she was meant for something greater, something that would shape the world; she just needed to tell her…

"Choose…for me…"

And Takuma Gesu slammed the sword down through Kasumi's red kimono, dying it black in the moonlight with an innocent woman's blood, as the sword cut into her heart. Her last thought was of the girl that was the last of her family, now, and as she breathed her last breaths, Kasumi looked at her 'little sister'…and she smiled.

She would live, and that was all that mattered.

* * *

_Itoe…_

Itoe's head was ringing. It seemed impossible that all her family was gone. Mother, Father, Mikitsu…and now Kasumi-san, Akane-san, and Sakura-san… were the villagers right, all along? Was she a demon, a monster that destroyed all she touched?

And as if that wasn't enough, Kasumi's last words were running through her head, over and over.

_Choose…_

She had chosen, hadn't she?

She had chosen to look after father, to take care of Mikitsu…

Or had she?

_Choose…_

Was there really anything else she could have done? She was eight years old – and a female eight-year-old at that. What else could she have done, it's not like she could have just left - she'd have been dead, or worse, before the day was out. Had she really ever chosen anything, out of her own free will before? With nothing pushing her or stopping her from making that choice?

Choose…

Her head was spinning with all the new thoughts that had come upon her. It was as if some dam had broken, and something had rushed in and filled her, something new and bright and burning.

Something an awful lot like hope.

But it looked like she wasn't going to be able to explore this new flame that had settled inside her, or to think about Kasumi's 'choose'.

Because the man who had killed her sisters was still standing right there, and he had his sword raised.

Itoe shut her eyes, and then, just as the bandits sword came sweeping down to end her life as it ended so many others lives before now… Hiko Seijuro came upon the caravan.

* * *

He was too late. He'd seen it the moment he'd arrived and seen one of the bandits cut down a woman. And the fact that there were more women dead around her just confirmed it. They were all young and pretty – and those were usually protected. The only reason they wouldn't have been was if there was no one left to protect them.

The little girl must be the only one to have survived from the caravan. And she was about to be murdered in cold blood, just like her sisters.

He would not allow that to happen.

And so he drew his sword.

And, five minutes later, Takuma Gesu was in five pieces along the ground, and the rest of his gang was soon following. The last thing they heard, was his answer to their question.

"You won't be alive long enough to remember my name."

There was blood all over the girl.

Hiko flinched almost imperceptibly. She was young, about six or seven he guessed, and had very big eyes and very pale skin. Pale skin that was currently splattered with blood. Blood he had spilled. A child…an innocent…covered in blood he'd spilled…

_'The sword of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu is swung to prevent the shedding of innocent blood…'_

He shook himself out of his thoughts with the mental reminder that the blood wasn't innocent, it had belonged to the bandits that had just slaughtered a caravan, and busied himself in wiping his sword clean with a piece of rice paper.

Eventually, he looked up. The child hadn't moved, not even to blink, simply sitting there, staring motionlessly at the dead bodies. Shock, he supposed. It would make sense seeing as she had just had everyone she cared about ripped away. Perhaps he could get her to get moving, break out of it, or else she might simply give up and let herself die. He'd seen it before, but… he didn't want to see it again. Not with this little girl, who had barely even begun to live.

He stifled a sigh and began to speak.

"I don't know why I happened by this place... I suppose it was fate." He sheathed his sword, and looked down at the girl. "Be glad I did – I took care of your revenge. However, bearing a grudge against these men will not bring your loved ones back. Let your survival be their memorial, and revel in the fact that you are alive. Go to the nearby village – surely they will be able to help you."

She still hadn't moved, not even reacting to his voice.

There was nothing he could do, not when she was so far gone. He'd come back in a week or so, see if she'd gone to the village, and if she hadn't…well, then he supposed he'd just do what he always did.

Bury the bodies.

He turned away, and started walking. The shifting of clothes brought him up short. He started to turn and was half way around when he heard the whisper, so soft that anyone else wouldn't have been able to make it out.

"Rainmaker."

Hiko blinked. Maybe he'd heard wrong, but… no, his hearing was incredibly sharp.

But… Rainmaker?

What did that mean, anyway?

"What?"

The child's brows furrowed as she tried to explain what she meant.

"In plays, like the ones Tou-San used to read to us…when they were describing the scenes of great battles… they used to say 'and a rain of blood fell', but you, you really made it rain…" Her voice faded to a whisper. "Rain…of blood…"

Rainmaker.

So that's what she meant. Now he sort of wished he didn't know. Figures.

Her soft voice brought him out of his thoughts again.

"You…avenged the sisters," her voice firmed, "Thank you."

She bowed, a deep bow, with her eyes fixed on the ground. She didn't say anything more before he left. Neither did he.

But she was still bowed as he left the clearing that had been the sight of the tragedy… and the only ones to notice the soft droplets on the ground in front of her were the dead.

* * *

Hiko wondered down the path lit by the setting sun, thinking. The man at the village had said that nothing had passed through the village recently – not even a cat, let alone a small girl.

He sighed. She'd probably despaired of the world and killed herself after what she had seen - it wasn't uncommon.

_My sword is guided by the teachings of Hiten-Mitsurugi. Yet when all is said and done, a sword is a tool of destruction, not salvation. Many times, I cannot use it to save even one person's life. Not one living soul, as it would seem to be this time._

He sighed as he pushed away the last of the hanging branches and prepared to enter the scene of slaughter. The bodies had been there for a few days, so it wouldn't be pretty.

_It is enough that I bury the victims' corpses, I suppose. That is the only way I can maintain what humanity I have left._

He walked out into the blinding sun, but he did not shield his eyes as they widened.

Where before there had been dead bodies laying splayed on a blood-spattered ground, now there were crosses, monuments to the dead, stretched out across the clearing.

He wandered through them, the setting sun illuminating everything with an orange color, and stopped at the end of the makeshift graveyard. There were three rounded stones there, and standing before him, her back to him, was the girl from before. He noticed things then that he hadn't noticed in the dark, such as that the hair that had seemed so oddly pale in the dark was actually red, and that her kimono was of nice make, but obviously not professionally made. The girls he'd seen around her before had probably made it.

His eyes took in her hands, hands that were scraped raw and bleeding, with the nails torn and dirt and splinters encrusted in the cuts. The makeshift graveyard; that the girl hadn't gone to the village; her hands… it all pointed to one thing. But what kind of person would have the sheer fortitude to bury all those people single handed, without any food or water. Especially if that person was only a little girl?

"You buried the bandits, as well as your family?" he asked in shock.

A moment of silence, then she answered in a soft, hoarse voice.

"They were slave traders. Not my family."

He gasped, eyes widening, everything he'd seen the night before, being seen in a new light. The three dead girls - young pretty girls, exactly the type slavers would want. And this girl. This small, delicate, girl with that exotic red hair – not to mention young enough to be trained. His lips firmed at the thought. The caravan might even have been heading to the red lights district. He was almost glad the slavers were dead, filth like that deserved it, and if it hadn't been for the young girls, he'd probably have gotten rid of the almost in that sentence.

Whilst all this went through his mind, the girl continued to talk, her voice slightly stronger then before. "My family died of cholera a while ago. But once they died they weren't Bandits or slavers, just dead bodies." Her voice dropped. "Dead is dead after all."

"Yes," He nodded and paused for a moment in contemplation. "Dead is dead."

He looked down at the three stones before them. If the caravan she'd been traveling with were slavers, and the bandits were, well, bandits, then who would she care enough for to drag these stones here? He thought he already knew the answer, but…

"Who are these stones for?" He might as well ask anyway.

"Kasumi-san, Akane-san, and Sakura-san. I only knew them for a few days, but they protected me as if I was their own. I wanted to protect them, but I'm just a little girl. But because of that, they're gone. They died protecting me. They said, 'Please, spare the child'." She lowered her head, clenching her dirty hands.

The man's face grew thoughtful.

"I wanted their graves to be beautiful, so I wanted good stones. All I could find were these ugly rocks, but it's the best I can do. I wish I could have found flowers. They all deserve flowers."

He hesitated more. Could this child be the one? But he'd never even thought about his successor being a girl.

Would she be able to handle the burden of taking other peoples lives? Of having the best sword style in Japan at her fingertips? For that matter, would she even be able to handle the training? It was hellish.

He had to know, "What are you going to do now? You've buried them all. Are you going to go to the village?"

She paused thinking a moment, the shook her head. "No."

"Then what?"

She considered the stones before her a moment, then started to speak slowly and haltingly. "I don't know what I'm going to do. Kasumi-san's last words were for me to live… to choose a full life, and live it the way I want to…"

"What do you want to do?"

"I…want…to protect people, and to help them. I couldn't do it before, I was too weak. I couldn't help my family; I couldn't protect the girls. But I want to be able to. I want to become strong, so no one else will ever feel this kind of pain. I want to be strong so that I can protect the people precious to me, my precious people…" She trailed off.

He paused for a moment, in thought, and then took out his Sake jug and uncapped it.

She looked at him startled. "What are you-"?

She was cut off as he started to pour the sake on the biggest stone in the middle, the liquid coursing down the sides and onto the other two stones, then down to the ground.

He answered her question; "No one should reach Nirvana without the taste of good sake on his lips. This is my tribute to them."

"Thank you. Um…"

He recapped the jug and turned to her, looking into her eyes. "My name is Hiko Seijuro. I'm an intermittent swordsman."

She lowered her eyes to the ground. A samurai…

"Listen, you were unable to protect the lives of the women who took care of you. Now your inner-self is laden with their memories. Your small hands can attest to the weight of their lifeless bodies. However, you will learn that their memories are heavier, and carrying them will make you stronger. This strength will be your defense, and aid you in the protection of that which is truly important, but this can only happen if you are properly trained. Tell me your name."

She blinked. Why would a samurai want her name, and what was this about training? "Itoe."

"Bless with love," He snorted at the irony. "That name is too soft and sweet for a swordswoman."

She hesitated, uncertain if she had heard right. A swordswoman? Her?

"From now on your name is Kenshii."

She brought her eyes up once more, and repeated what he had said hesitantly, "Ken…Shii?"

"Ah." He looked up at the sky. The girl had a lot of potential, but it would take a lot of hard work to bring it out. A sudden gust of wind blew, ruffling their hair, one as red as the sky above, the other as black as the raven's who flew in it.

"I have found myself a pupil. Consider yourself…_fortunate_."

And so it began.


	2. Chapter 2

**Rating: **T, for blood, violence, and future adult implications.

**Pairings: **None in this chapter

**Summary: **How would things have been different, if Himura Kenshin had been born a girl? Genderbender AU, going from the beginning of the series to the end…

**Chapter summary: **Kamiya Kaoru is having some trouble due to the Hitokiri Battousai, but luckily she's got these strange vagabonds to help her out…

Kaoru is introduced, and we see Kenshii again, as a grown up this time – but who is this strange person she's with?

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It belongs to Nobuhiro Watsuki, Shounen Jump, etc.

**Rurouni Kenshii**

_**Chapter Two**_

_140 years ago, with the landing of the black ships in Japan, the Edo era came to a close and entered the period of time known as the Bakumatsu, a time of chaos, violence and destruction._

_During this upheaval, a man known only as the 'Hitokiri Battousai' emerged. His origins were shrouded in mystery; no one knew who he was or where he came from. As one of the most important Hitokiri of the time, his sword paved the way for the Meiji era, and with the passage of time he became a legend, known simply as 'the strongest'._

_However, at the conclusion of the bloodshed he vanished, never to be seen or heard from again._

_In the 10 years since the Bakumatsu had ended and the Meiji Era began, many people attempted to hunt done the legendary Battousai, whether for revenge, to challenge him for the title of the strongest, or simply for money. None found him. Others decided to use his name and reputation for their own ends._

_And so our story begins, in the eleventh year of the Meiji era, in Tokyo…_

Kamiya Kaoru peered around the corner, her hands gripping her bokken so hard her knuckles stood out white against her skin. This was him, it had to be him. The man had just passed by the mouth of the alley she was hiding in, and she could see from the light of the lamps that he was carrying a sword strapped to his back. Who else would wear a sword despite the sword ban, and wander the streets at night? It HAD to be him. She nodded in determination, took a deep breath, and ran into the street.

"Stop! I've finally found you Hitokiri Battousai!"

The man stopped, turned around and looked down at her through turquoise eyes. She blinked and stuttered to a halt, startled. She'd never seen another Japanese with blue eyes before, though the shades were different…

She frowned and shook her head. Focus! It didn't matter what color his eyes were – this was a dangerous murderer she'd cornered!

"Your two months of bloodshed in the streets are at an end, Battousai!"

Gathering herself she charged, bokken held high. She would avenge her school's – her father's – name, and bring this monster in.

She felt a flash of triumph as she realized that the man hadn't even moved to take his sword out. She'd obviously caught him by surprise. She would defeat the Hitokiri Battousai! She reached the end of her lunge and struck - only to find that he wasn't there anymore.

She skidded to a halt and blinked, startled. He'd moved so fast she hadn't even seen a blur. What the…?

She jolted suddenly, as an exasperated voice sounded from behind her.

"Look, little girl…"

The voice was interrupted as she turned around to find the man there, and broke in fuming.

"Little girl?" her voice rose in an indignant squeak at the end. "Who are you calling little girl you-" this time it was she who was interrupted, by a fierce turquoise glare.

"Little girl, shut up!"

She shut up.

"As I was saying," he looked over to see if she would interrupt again, and seeing her quiet, nodded and continued on, "As I was saying, if you'd listen instead of just rushing in headfirst, I'd be able to tell you that first, I am most definitely not the Hitokiri Battousai – for god's sake, I was eight years old when he first appeared! And second, I'm a rurouni, a swordsman traveling with no destination and I only just arrived in town, so how could I have been killing people for the past two months?"

Here he took a deep breath and suddenly glared at Kaoru, who felt herself shrinking back at the look of utter contempt in his eyes. All of a sudden she felt small and young and horribly stupid.

"And thirdly, if I was the Hitokiri Battousai, do you really think you could take me out with a big stick?"

"It's not a big stick it's a bokken, you arrogant…ooh." she glared at him furiously with flushed cheeks.

He huffed and shook his head as if he couldn't even be bothered to correct her.

Kaoru was furious. She had never met someone so absolutely infuriating in her life. Yes, she had a short temper, but this man seemed to be an expert at pushing all her buttons – and she'd only just met him!

"And why should I believe you huh?" Kaoru fumed. "I don't know how old you really are, or if you really are a wanderer - all I know is that you've got a sword, and you're walking around at night when anyone smart would be staying at home!"

He raised an eyebrow mockingly, "Question, if everyone smart is staying home at night – what does that make you?"

She turned bright red from a mixture of fury and embarrassment. Who did this man think he was?

"You still haven't explained the sword!" she spat out.

The man rolled his eyes. "And if I do, will you stop bugging me?" he asked.

Kaoru frowned.

"Alright," she said reluctantly, "but I'm not bugging you, I'm interrogating you."

He rolled his eyes again.

"Fine, whatever."

He reached behind his back and drew his sword, and Kaoru blinked – that sword, there was something off about the hilt but she couldn't see it…and its blade was backwards!

"You must know a bit about swords, even if you've only ever fought with a bokken – so tell me, would I be able to kill anybody with this?"

"I don't understand…"

He huffed. "What's there to understand? This is a sakabatou, a reverse edged sword."

With narrowed eyes, Kaoru leaned forward and ran a finger down the blade. "You could still kill someone with this if you tried hard enough…but…none of these nicks smell of blood, and there's no tallow marks…"

He nodded, satisfied. "Exactly." He sheathed the sword.

"I have never used this sword to kill someone, and I don't intend to break that record." He turned considering eyes upon her.

"So – now that we've sorted that little case of mistaken identity out, what are you doing running around at night chasing after a Hitokiri with a stick?"

"It's not a stick it's a bokken!"

"Same difference! And anyway, you're avoiding the question."

Kaoru raised her chin to meet his eyes. "For your information – not that it's any of your business – Hitokiri Battousai –"

_Tweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!_

Kaoru's head snapped up. "That's the police whistle!" her eyes brightened. "It must be him!" and with that, she turned and ran.

Enishi's eye twitched. "You're supposed to run away from the fight you idiot girl." He muttered.

"Go easy on her Eni-Chan – she's only a child. And besides, I find myself rather liking her." The voice was soft and smooth – and very amused.

The newly dubbed 'Eni-chan' jumped.

"I thought you were scouting around the bars, looking for information on this 'Battousai'," he said. "When did you get here?"

A dark red eyebrow quirked above a blue-violet eye as the newly revealed woman answered. "I've been here since the little bokken girl called out to you – you just didn't notice." She answered, even more amused.

He snorted. "I didn't notice because you didn't want me to notice. And how can you like her, she's an idiot!"

The woman's eyes narrowed contemplatively. "I don't think she is. I think she just believes in something, and is doing what she can, what she feels is right, to help, even though others say it's not a good thing -even if it actually isn't a good thing…sound familiar?"

"She's nothing like you!"

Suddenly she laughed. "You're right Eni-chan – she's far more like you! Running around and getting into trouble!"

As quickly as she had laughed, she grew serious.

"And speaking of trouble, we'd probably better go help her – if she is going after a man who's been killing people for the last two months, a bokken probably isn't going to do much good."

The man sighed, and ran a hand through his head of spiky black hair. "You're too kind hearted. Alright, we'll go save the idiot stick girl – but you owe me!"

"Of course Eni-chan, of course…"

* * *

Kaoru felt the cold, wooden wall behind her, blocking off any escape. The giant, masked man was looming in front of her, his sword dripping blood. _Drip, drip, drip, _Kaoru felt sick. That blood had once been human beings, policemen, people who tried their best to protect the innocent, and now all that was left of those men, men who'd probably had family, homes, hobbies, a _life_...was that _drip, drip, drip._

The burning in her arm where he'd cut her, the splinters in the wood behind her, the warmth of the sun, the coolness of the air and the scent of blood – she could feel it all.

It was as if all her senses had been sharpened by the knowledge that she was going to die here. The vagabond was right, damn him. She was foolish to go up against the Hitokiri Battousai with nothing but her bokken – her bokken that was now broken. She really was nothing but a silly, foolish little girl with nothing but a stick.

She raised her eyes to the blue sky above her, not wanting her last view to be of a monster.

Behind his mask, the giant grinned. His sword swept over and up to come down on the defenseless girl's head – and then there was a blur of movement, and not only was she no longer there, but his sword was stopped with a clang of steel.

Kaoru blinked.

She was being held in a man's arms, which were covered in the sleeves of a patched gray gi. She knew that gray gi; she'd been bug- _interrogating_ the owner just a short while ago.

"The…vagabond?" she murmured.

"Yep." Came the answer.

And then he dropped her unceremoniously on the ground.

"Hey! What was that for?" Kaoru growled. Just when he'd done something as gentlemanly as saving her life…

"For being an idiot," returned the vagabond.

Before Kaoru could answer, her eyes widened as she saw the Battousai standing behind the vagabond, his sword locked with a small female form clad in black with – was that _red _hair? Red hair tied back with a green scrap of fabric at the nape of the neck. The vagabond followed her gaze and smirked. "Don't worry about that murderer – my partner has him well under control."

The giant was confused, though it couldn't be seen through the mask. Not only had his prey been whisked out from under him and his sword _stopped _– something that had never happened before, now he was being coolly glared at through amber eyes. Amber eyes that, judging from the outfit, which didn't leave that much to imagination, belonged to a woman. A woman had stopped his sword, and was now telling him, quite clearly but without saying a word, that if he didn't give up right now, he was going to die.

The giant might not have been very smart, but he had perfectly functioning survival instincts. He disengaged from the strange woman – and who had hair like that? Like fire, or blood. Was she a demon? – And set about saving face.

"Weak, weak, weak! You're all too weak! Fools of the Meiji Era – you're so weak you're not any sport, even to kill!"

And yet, the woman only smirked a bit, as though saying '_I know_ _what you're doing, and you're not fooling anyone.' _

He continued anyway – what did he care if the she-demon thought she saw through him? He would kill her if she tried anything!

"I am Himura Battousai, known as Hitokiri Battousai, Master of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu!" Then he left, running down the alley.

Kaoru was not at all happy.

"Get back here, Battousai!'

Jumping to her feet she started to chase after the fleeing murderer – only to be stopped as a sharp tug on her ponytail over balanced her and she fell to the ground once more.

"Eh!" she turned around - and found herself face to face with the vagabond from before.

Kaoru looked at the vagabond. The vagabond looked at Kaoru. The redheaded woman looked down the road to where the Battousai had run.

Silence.

Finally the vagabond spoke.

"_Congratulations_ little girl. You're even more of an idiot than I thought! You've moved on from attacking a man who you _think_ might be a murderer with a big stick, to attacking a man you _know_ to be a murderer, who is twice your height and likely more then twice your weight, in _armour_…with a _broken _stick. Well done!"

He clapped mockingly with a lopsided smirk.

Kaoru flushed bright red with rage.

"You…you…how _dare_ you?!" she shouted. "You don't know what he's done. That man - the Battousai – he claims to be from Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. That's my school, my father's life's work. And he's disgracing it! My father believed in Katsujin Ken, not Satsujin Ken. Kamiya Kasshin Ryu is the sword that gives life, which protects people! A murderer would never have been welcome there! And it wasn't broken when I attacked him!"

"Stop tormenting the poor girl Eni-chan, can't you see she's distraught?" Came a soft voice. Kaoru looked away from the infuriating man before her, and into a pair of bright violet eyes. Kaoru blinked. Was today the day for weird eye colour or something? And she'd thought blue was strange!

The strange woman smiled softly and helped Kaoru up.

She was even odder looking than her friend. She was wearing a ragged black yukata that cut off about halfway down her calves, and there was a sword attached to her back. Her hair was bright, vibrant crimson, offset with orange and gold highlights that, along with a slight tan, proclaimed long hours in the sun.

Her eyes were a soft blue-violet, like flowers and on her left cheek was a scar, shaped like a cross.

Kaoru frowned to herself, that scar reminding her of something, faintly, like a story told long ago…_red hair, and a cross-shaped scar…_before it fled again.

The woman spoke again. "You're wounded, and upset. Let us take you home and tend to your wounds, and then we'll leave. I take it you belong to the Kamiya Dojo I saw when I was coming into Tokyo?"

"Uh, yes." Kaoru was confused – how could such a nice, polite woman put up with a man like the vagabond? They didn't look related- maybe one of those arranged marriages?

"Excellent, then I know how to get there – let's get that arm fixed up, shall we?"

* * *

Kaoru let out a sigh as she sipped some warm tea - which, not having been made by her, actually tasted quite good. It was good to be home. Everything was peaceful, quiet –

"Ow!" she jolted, and cursed as her wonderful, warm tea spilt out over the carpet.

"Sorry, sorry." The redheaded woman waved her hands apologetically. "It's been a while since I had to stitch a wound – you're lucky this didn't cut into the muscle."

The man snorted from where he was inspecting the signs up on the dojo wall.

"You're lucky you're not dead. Honestly, who the hell goes up against a killer with a katana, with a stick?"

Kaoru stiffened and opened her mouth to argue – only for the woman to interrupt them both with a sigh. "Oh _please_ don't start that again, you two."

Kaoru frowned. "But he doesn't _get it_!" she pointed with her good hand to the wooden name tags. "Read those." She ordered.

The woman did so. "Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, adjutant master Kamiya Kaoru…and then," her eyebrows rose in a position of surprise. "Oro!"

"We were a small school, but we had ten students, all working hard – and then, two months ago, the street killings began. One by one, the students left, fearing the name of Battousai, and the townspeople won't have anything to do with the Dojo."

Kaoru turned her eyes away from the violet set before her that were looking at her with far too much empathy. "My father fought in the Bakumatsu, and he saw the violence, the chaos and the bloodshed. So he created Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, 'the sword that protects life', refusing all murderous aspects. But as a member of the sword bearing metropolitan police, he was sent to the southwest war half a year ago."

Kaoru slumped slightly as her voice became softer. "He never came back. Kamiya Kasshin Ryu was his legacy, and he trusted me to look after it, but I failed." She turned her head to meet the rurouni's gentle eyes, her own flashing angrily.

"I don't know why he's striking out at my dojo, or even if he's really the Battousai-"

"He's not."

Kaoru blinked. The rude man had been so quiet she'd almost forgotten he was there. She was so surprised at him saying something - especially something that wasn't an insult – that she didn't see the quick glare that the woman sent her partner through suddenly cold violet eyes.

The man smirked. "He _can't _be Battousai."

"Eh! Why not?"

Behind Kaoru, violet eyes changed to a cold blue, one step away from amber. The man noticed, and his smirk grew wider.

"It's simple. He can't be Battousai because…"

Blue became amber, and the smirk changed into a full blown grin.

"You said it yourself – your father created Kamiya Kasshin Ryu after the Bakumatsu made him get sick of killing – so how could the Hitokiri Battousai, who became famous (or infamous, depending on who you ask) _during _the Bakumatsu, use Kamiya Kasshin Ryu? So either he's not using Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, he's not Battousai, or both."

As behind her the woman collapsed on the ground oro-ing, Kaoru blinked. It had been two months since the attacks had started – why hadn't she ever thought of that.

The man snickered, before turning back to the wall as if he couldn't be bothered looking at the two women anymore.

Kaoru frowned at him – so _rude!_ - before turning back to the red-head.

"Anyway – are you okay?"

The woman smiled apologetically whilst rubbing her head as she slowly sat up. "Yes, just embarrassed. You were saying?"

"Anyway, that's why I have to stop the Battousai, even if it costs me my life! I can't allow my father's sword style to be disgraced by a murderer!" Kaoru's eyes flashed and her face flushed as she gazed at the still calm Rurouni. "But I wouldn't expect a Rurouni to understand.

The woman raised a dark red eyebrow.

"And do you think your father, the creator of 'swords that give life' would be happy if his daughter gave her life to protect his school?"

Kaoru's eyes widened.

Suddenly, the woman smiled, head tilting to the side. "And anyway..."

She pointed.

"_That arm_ says no more night patrols as well!"

She got up. "It was a pleasure to meet you Kaoru-dono. We'll be leaving now. Thank you for the tea." She turned to her partner. "Time to go!"

And then, after the two strange wanderers closed the wooden door, there was only silence. Kaoru tried to ignore how much that ached.

* * *

A few days later, Kaoru dressed in one of her few nice kimono; white with red and black petals and tied with a red and black striped obi. She tied a red ribbon in her high ponytail. She may prefer the comfort and freedom of movement of her kendo uniform, but the townspeople were already sceptical of a woman teaching swords. There was no need to further offend their delicate sensibilities by wearing boy's clothes – they might not sell her food! And speaking of food…

"Miso, soy sauce, tofu – mou, you'd think by now I'd know not to buy in bulk." She pouted and turned to the old man pacing beside her. "Hey, Kihei, you're all better now right?" Shaken out of his thoughts, the man looked at her, confused. "Hmmm?"

"You were sick yesterday, right?" she prompted.

He laughed sheepishly. "Ah, yes, of course, of course."

Before Kaoru could continue questioning Kihei, the sounds of a scuffle coming from a knot of people up ahead caught her attention. She could hear what sounded like policemen calling out- "stop this" and "come quietly!"

"They must be making an arrest," commented Kaoru idly as she and Kihei headed towards the knot of people up ahead. "I wonder who..." before she could finish her question, a voice sounded over the din, harsh and mocking - and familiar.

"Just try it, you government dog! You think I'm going to let you lock her away, unarmed, where you can 'visit' her in the cell? I'm not stupid, though you must be if you think I'm going to let you touch a hair on her head!"

"The…rurouni?" she questioned softly, drawing Kihei's attention from the rice he'd been inspecting.

"You know that man Kaoru-san?" he asked.

"Not _really._" Kaoru hedged around the question as she burst into a run to where the sounds were coming from. Kihei was one of those who didn't approve of a girl practicing swordsmanship, and hearing that she'd gone after the murderer stalking the streets on her own, armed with nothing but a bokken, resulting in her getting injured and having to be rescued would make him even more firm in his opinion that she should give up swords and sell the dojo – and that wasn't even considering how he would react if he found out she'd let two disreputable wanderers into the dojo when she was all by herself.

Heading for a break in the group of people eager for the entertainment of watching an arrest, she called out. Standing in the middle of several police were the two wanderers, the woman standing just behind the man, as he glared at the chief that was attempting to arrest them.

"The wanderers! You two are still in town?" Kaoru called out, drawing the redheaded woman's attention. Completely ignoring the police officers surrounding her and her partner, she smiled at Kaoru.

"Oh, it's Kaoru-dono! I almost didn't recognise you in feminine clothing!" Before Kaoru could get mad at that, the woman continued, smiling sweetly, "You look very nice." Kaoru blushed, before busying herself by turning to the lead officer. "What did they do?" she asked. Of course, she was pretty certain she already knew the answer…

"As you can see, they're both violating the edict against wearing swords – hey aren't you from the Battousai's dojo?!"

…Yep, she was right - wait a minute!

A vein twitching in her forehead, Kaoru shouted at the policeman. "That's a lie! I told you we were framed!"

Getting angry himself, the officer shouted back. "Are you defying government authority? Don't yell at a police officer!"

"I'll yell at anyone who _dares_ to say that murderer is from my dojo! Government authority? Quit hiding behind your uniform!"

Behind them, forgotten, the male wanderer turned to his companion and whispered.

"I take it back, I like her."

With a beaming smile, the woman answered. "See! I _knew_ you'd like her given enough time – you're too similar _not _to like each other…"

He twitched. "We are _not_ similar!"

"Of _course _not, Eni-chan."

Meanwhile, Kihei had caught up. Taking in the situation at a glance, he saw the two strange wanderers – who, judging by their swords, were the ones being arrested- and Kaoru and the police officer having a shouting match. If this went on, Kaoru-san might end up arrested, and he couldn't have _that_…

"Hold on a second please." He said, drawing Kaoru and the officer's attention.

"What do you want!?"

"Now, now, I'm sure we can settle this peaceably and without all this fuss." Smiling as he moved to shake hands with the officer, he slipped some hush money into his hands. So quickly and quietly was it done, that only a pair of violet eyes noticed.

Calming down, the officer turned to leave, shouting back over his shoulder, "In light of what the old man has done, I'll let you go for now, but you watch your mouth girl."

In a move that made the male wanderer smirk and his female friend widen her eyes in shock, Kaoru stuck out her tongue, "Jerk."

"I suppose the police aren't exactly reliable these days, huh?" said the woman.

"They're weak, in body and in spirit," the man agreed. Reminded of the reason she'd come near the police in the first place, Kaoru turned to the two.

"You're still here! I thought you would have left days ago! Unfinished business?" She asked.

Shaking her head and smiling gently the woman answered, "No, not really. By the way, has anything further developed in regards to the street killings?" she questioned, practically radiating innocence.

Kaoru accepted the change of subject with good grace. "Eh, well…I do have one likely suspect."

Behind her back, Kihei gave her a sharp glance. "There's a dojo called "Kiheikan" on the outskirts of the next town."

"A dojo?" the woman questioned.

"Not anymore. It used to be a dojo, but the owner had to sell, and now it's a gathering place for gamblers and rogues. A former samurai took it over about two months ago. A giant of a man, they say – over six feet!"

The redhead raised her eyebrows, "Hohoo!"

Kaoru nodded, "Suspicious, ne? And two months ago – that's when the street killings started." She frowned, 'I haven't any proof, so I can't actually _do _anything yet, but soon…"

Kihei politely interrupted. "Kaoru-san, there's still preparations to be made for dinner, shall I-?"

"Oh yes, of course."

He nodded and made his way past the wanderers, violet eyes following his path.

"Kaoru-dono, that man…?"

"Oh, Kihei? He's my housekeeper. It was right after father passed away. Kihei collapsed in front of the dojo and I helped him out. He doesn't really believe in girls practicing swordsmanship. He says I should give up swords, sell the dojo, and go live quietly somewhere."

Violet eyes narrowed. "Where's he from?"

Kaoru blinked. "I don't know. I never asked."

It was the woman's turn to blink. "Never asked?"

Kaoru shrugged. "Should I have? Why would it matter? We all have things in our pasts we don't want to talk about." With suddenly serious eyes, she turned to face them.

"You two do, don't you? That's why you're rurouni."

There was a shocked look on the rurouni's face and the man, who had been quiet until then, put a hand on her shoulder.

The woman's lips twitched into a small, sad smile, before she looked up again and met Kaoru's eyes. "Something like that," she agreed softly.

Kaoru took a deep breath as she prepared to do something she didn't do very often. "The other day – you two saved my life, and I was very rude in return, so… sorry, and thank you," she smiled. "Really."

The woman smiled sweetly. "Kaoru-dono, it was no trouble at all, it's what we do – but thank you for your kindness."

Awkwardly clearing her throat, Kaoru made the offer she'd been thinking of since she'd seen the two. "I'm sure rurouni don't have much money for an inn, and I really would like to repay you, so since you're still here, if you need some place to stay, you would be welcome at my dojo."

"Ah, that's all right," still smiling, the woman turned and started to go. "I have an errand to run that I'd forgotten about however…" she paused.

"Yes?" Kaoru asked eagerly.

"Well, Eni-chan isn't really needed on this errand, and he'll have nowhere else to go, so if he could stay with you for the night, it would be very much appreciated." She finished with a smile.

Kaoru cocked her head, confused, "Eni…chan?"

Still smiling, the woman pointed with one delicate finger at her partner, who was currently trying very hard - though without much success – to disappear.

A slow smile spread across Kaoru's lips as she processed this. "Of course he can stay." She said, sickly sweet. "Come along then…Eni-chan."

Smiling as she watched the two younger people glare at each other, the woman turned to leave.

Kiheikan Dojo in the _neighboring_ village. No wonder there was nothing to find in Tokyo.

* * *

_At the Kiheikan Dojo…_

All was peaceful and quiet…

"Hello!"

…The moon shining down from a velvet black sky.

"Hello!"

The night was calm and undisturbed.

"Hello!"

Well…mostly.

"Hello, Hello, Hello!"

As the redhead in the ragged black yukata raised her hand to knock on the door again, it was opened from the inside.

"What do you want?" the scruffy man glared at the woman as her arms slowly lowered to her side.

"About the sensei here -"

"Master Hiruma is out, come back later."

Turning to go back inside, he was interrupted by her soft comment.

"So his name is Hiruma…"

The man fell over. "You came here looking for him and you don't even know his name?!"

A spark glinted in violet eyes. "No…I was sure he was called 'HiMUra, not 'HiRUma'." The man froze.

A slow smile pulling up delicately curved lips, the woman continued. "That's what he said, didn't he – 'I am Himura Battousai, known as Hitokiri Battousai, Master of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu!'"

She blinked innocently. "Or perhaps I was mistaken – perhaps he prefers to be called, 'murderer' Battousai, or 'street killer' Battousai – after all, Hitokiri is _so_ old fashioned."

Taking in the man's face, she continued to herself. "It looks as though Kaoru-dono was right."

As men, disturbed by the noise, started coming out of the woodwork, one called out to the scruffy man. "Oi, Nishiwaki-san, what's the problem?" Lips curling into a grin that showed cracked and dirty teeth, Nishiwaki answered.

"Just a rat - if a pretty one. Get rid of it."

A man who was so dirty he looked as if he'd never had a bath in his life answered. "Sure boss, we'll kill her…but before we do, we can have some fun first, yeah?" the rest of the men nodded, eyes burning as they took in the slim curves barely covered by the yukata.

Eyes hooded, the rurouni reached behind her. "A bunch of men like this, yes, I will have some fun." Smiling slightly, she began to draw out her sword…

* * *

_Crack!_

In the Kamiya Dojo, Kaoru blinked in shock.

"The cup…cracked?!"

"Maybe it was objecting to having your cooking placed inside it. I sure am," came a low growled voice as the wanderer re-entered the dojo room, wiping his mouth with a cloth.

Kaoru pouted. "It wasn't that bad."

Snorting, the man settled down by the wall, not saying anything.

Now it was quiet again, Kaoru tried to return to her calligraphy – but… _a dojo master must be accomplished in many arts, like the samurai of old Kaoru-chan…_

Everything was reminding her of her father! And that meant that everything was reminding her of the rurouni's words.

"_And do you think your father, the creator of 'swords that give life' would be happy if his daughter gave her life to protect his school?"_

She looked down, frowning slightly.

_Father…_

"They echo in your head, don't they?"

Returned to reality, Kaoru's head snapped up. "Eh?"

The man continued, not looking at her. "Her words, she has the unique ability to see into your heart and strip away all your illusions with just a few words."

Kaoru looked down hesitating, before her eyes sparked and her lips firmed. She opened her mouth to answer –

"Kaoru-san."

She jumped. "Kihei?"

It was.

Relaxing, Kaoru continued. "Kihei, you scared me. What is it?" She gave him a curious look.

Kihei came closer. "It's about the sale of the dojo."

She blinked. "Kihei, I've told you before - I have no intentions of selling."

"Actually…" He pulled a piece of paper out of his sleeve and pointed to it. "…the paperwork is already made up."

Kaoru paused. Something was wrong. "Kihei?" _Why would he…_

Slowly, Kihei's eyes opened from their usual squint. "I just need your seal."

With a crash, the door opened, revealing a huge, bear-like man with a large beard, and several thugs behind them.

Kihei continued. "And then the property will be ours."

The large man grinned. It was not a nice grin. "Yo!"

Kaoru paused as she looked at the man's eyes, there was something…

Her eyes widened. "You!" It was the murderer!

Kihei interrupted. "Hiruma Gohei, master of Kiheikan." His smile widened, "This is my younger brother."

Kaoru jumped back towards the wall and grabbed one of the swords from the rack.

"I don't like to do it this way. I'd much prefer to make a _legal_ purchase." The goons drew closer as Kaoru took a ready stance. "But you were getting too close to discovering my brother's true identity. It was all moving forward quite nicely, I thought. Playing the good tempered old man to gain the trust of a woman living alone…" Kihei sneered. "Unfortunately for you, you are just so _stubborn _about your sword fighting."

"Kihei…" Kaoru's lips trembled. This was Kihei - she'd thought she knew him! How could he betray her like this!

"So I used my brother to cook up this murder commotion, and discredit the name your school." Kihei continued.

"The fame of the Hitokiri Battousai was just what we needed. Legends of his terrible prowess have been told for years, so even though his presence was unbelievable, no-one dared stand against him. Thanks to him, it took only two months to reduce you to _this_."

Kihei's grin got even wider as he looked around the dojo proprietarily.

"By my estimate, the value of this land will increase five or six times with the westernization policy and the growth of industry. It would be wasted on some sword-fighting school."

"Ki…hei…"

"Damn, girl, is that all you can say," came a voice from the side. The wanderer, forgotten until then, slowly stood up, "I think I've heard enough." He turned to the giant. "So you're the one disgracing the name of 'Battousai' are you?" He reached behind his back. "Let me show you no-name thugs how Kenjutsu is _really_ done…"

The thugs attacked.

At the Kiheikan dojo, red hair flying behind her, the rurouni danced.

In the Kamiya Dojo, turquoise eyes narrowed in concentration, the wanderer fought.

Blue eyes widened as Kaoru took in the sight before her. The wanderer was good! He didn't use the odd blade like a katana - instead of going for major arteries or limbs; he struck out at joints, breaking bones instead of cutting them off.

But…no matter how good he was - there were so many of them - and the murderer, Hiruma Gohei, was so big…

And that sword…

Now that he wasn't deliberately covering it, she could see what had seemed so strange to her the first time she had seen it.

"The blade is a katana – but the hilt?" speaking to herself softly, she didn't expect the wanderer to hear her, or answer when he was in the midst of a battle.

"It's a wattou."

"A…wattou?"

He paused, looking around. More cautious now, the thugs surrounded him, but none wanted to be the first to go after him, so he decided to answer her question.

"After Toba Fushimi, we traveled all over Japan, until eventually all that was left was Tokyo and Kyoto. Once that happened, we went on the nearest ship we could find, and ended up in Shanghai. We were taken in by a Japanese family, and they had a book in their possession that showed how to perform a sword style called wattoujutsu. A wattou is a sword with the blade of a Japanese katana, but the hilt of a Chinese broadsword. Wattoujutsu was created by a man who had learned my partner's sword style, but had been kicked out by his teacher, and in anger he created this sword style specifically to beat her sword style. She insisted I learn it."

Kaoru was confused. "But why would she want you to learn a sword style that is best used against hers?"

"Because, if she ever goes mad and returns to what she once was, into a monster - she wants me to be the one to take her down."

Ignored, the giant snorted. "Bah, no woman could be that good! Women can't learn swords, everyone knows that!"

He turned to Kaoru and began to advance as the thugs, taking strength from their leader, roared and attacked the wanderer.

"My big brother says your motto is 'swords that give life.'" He grinned even wider. "Why don't you use that sword to save your _own _life?" He laughed.

Kaoru swallowed and tensed as his eyes narrowed.

"If you won't come to me, I'll go to you."

Now!

"Yah!" Kaoru jumped, bokken swinging – and hit!

Only to be picked up and tossed away like so much dirt. "Hah!" He smirked. "I'm wearing armor little girl. You can't beat me with that pathetic piece of wood."

Trembling, Kaoru got up. She wouldn't fail. She couldn't!

"Ha-" he caught it.

_Crack!_

Eyes wide, Kaoru backed away, her bokken now only a splintered piece of wood slightly larger then the hilt.

Grin widening, the giant spoke. "Like I thought – a woman with that philosophy can't fight." He picked her up by the collar of her gi and shook her. "And look." He said, turning her to face the rest of the dojo. "Your 'knight in shining armor' can't save you now." Kaoru's eyes welled with tears as she saw. There were simply too many thugs, and the wanderer was wounded now, blood staining the shoulder of his gi, and sweat dripping into his eyes.

"My goal is violence! My essence is killing!" Gohei roared. "That's what Kenjutsu is all about!" Kihei came forward and cut Kaoru's thumb before pressing the bloody thumb to the deed paper.

"That's it. The land is ours." Kihei smiled like a devil. "Kamiya Kasshin Ryu is no more."

Kaoru closed her eyes. No…

"Hey, little brother." Kihei addressed Gohei. "Take care of that rat, will you." He said, nodding to the wanderer.

Gohei dropped Kaoru, who landed in a puddle on the floor, feeling like the world had just dropped out on her. Her dojo…her father's dojo…Kihei…_This could not be happening._

With a click, the door slid open, revealing Nishiwaki standing there, looking like Kaoru felt – his eyes were so wide that the irises were only little pinpoints surrounded by dirty yellow whites, and his mouth kept opening and closing like a fish out of water.

Distracted from the wanderer, Gohei looked at the man. "Nishiwaki? What's wrong with you?!"

"Str…" said Nishiwaki, finally able to make some sound. "_Strong…"_

Gohei blinked as Nishiwaki finally collapsed – revealing the small, slender, red haired woman standing behind him, eyes a cold narrow blue.

Unnoticed by everyone else, the wanderer, from where he was cornered by Gohei's thugs, smirked. _Drama queen…_

Kaoru found her voice. "Ru…rurouni?" she questioned softly.

Despite the softness, the rurouni heard her. "Sorry I'm late." She said, stepping into the room. "The man over there told me everything." She shot a narrow look at Kihei. "I thought there was something iffy about you…" she turned back to his brother. "I'll deal with you later."

Kihei gulped.

Gohei turned to face her more fully. "You again." He sneered.

"Are you here to talk about "swords that give life," too?!"

The rurouni looked down, before answering heavily. "No." Kaoru's eyes widened. "A sword is a weapon." She spoke, walking forward. "Kenjutsu is the art of killing." _Shishou… _

"Whatever pretty words you use to speak of it, this is its true nature." The rurouni continued walking forward, her eyes shadowed by the fall of her hair. "What Kaoru-dono says are the words of one who has never dirtied her hands. An idealistic joke."

Kaoru's eyes filled with tears as she looked down. "Rurouni." she whispered to herself.

"But…" Kaoru looked up again - into the rurouni's gentle violet eyes as the woman smiled at her. "I like Kaoru's idealism better then the true nature of Kenjutsu. And if I had one wish - it would be for the world to except her ideals as its true nature."

Without looking away from the rurouni Gohei addressed his brother. "Brother, you don't mind if I kill her do you?"

Kihei gritted his teeth. _I'll deal with you later…_ "No. She's in the way. But we've got what we came for, so just get the guys to kill her." He looked around disgusted. "What's left of them anyway. Why are you just standing around?!" he shouted at the remaining thugs, of which there were about twenty. The wanderer had gotten rid of many of them, but there were still over half of the original thugs there.

Kaoru looked over at the wanderer – surely he would help his wife?! But he was simply leaning against the wall, calm as you please, even smiling slightly. Noticing Kaoru, he winked at her.

Fuming, she looked back at the rurouni – just as Gohei gave the order. "Go on!" he roared, and the thugs attacked.

"Run rurouni!" Kaoru shouted.

The rurouni's eyes were blue again. "I don't like needlessly causing injuries, so anyone who doesn't want to go to the doctor, please leave."

The thugs laughed as they prepared to attack. What could one little girl do against them? "There aren't going to be any injuries!" one shouted. "Only one dead body!"

They attacked. The rurouni danced.

Drawing her sword, three men went down. Crouching down and whirling around, another three fell to the floor, their knees broken.

The rest of the thugs only had time to gasp before she was on them, raising her sword to the level of amber eyes, and sweeping so fast Kaoru could only see a blur before four men were down, their swords broken and blood spraying in the air.

Moving so swiftly she could hardly be seen, the rurouni danced through the remainder of the thugs.

Kihei gaped, uncomprehending. "She's taking out four or five with each swing. Is it sorcery?!"

"No." Kaoru said, buoyed by the sight before her. The part of her that was assistant master cried out _look, see! _This was what she strived for; this perfect mastery over your own body, till the sword you wielded was an extension of your own arm.

It was beautiful.

It was terrifying.

It was everything she'd ever wanted.

"No." she repeated, more firmly. "It's not sorcery - its speed!"

Without her noticing, the wanderer raised an eyebrow at her approvingly. He'd been right when they first met - she did know swords.

So did Gohei. "Speed of the sword. Speed of the body. Speed at reading your opponents moves. She's using them to bring down as many as she can, with the least possible movements!"

It was over. The rurouni stood, facing away from them, the only one still standing, her odd reversed blade resting on her shoulder.

"One thing, I forgot to mention." She said, slowly. "Hitokiri Battousai's school of Kenjutsu isn't Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, nor did he use whatever mash up of styles you use."

She turned to face them, revealing cold, deadly amber eyes.

"The style he used is an ancient one, from the Sengoku era, designed to pit one against many. It's called Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, and without a sakabatou, it is slaughter with deadly swiftness."

Three pairs of eyes widened, as one turquoise pair flashed in amusement.

"But how…"

"During times of war, when people are desperate, they will take on anyone."

The rurouni continued. "When you are young, it is easy to bind your chest and wear boy's clothes, and after you show enough skill, they don't care what gender you are."

Kaoru's eyes widened. She couldn't be saying what she thought she was, she _couldn't_. "No…rurouni…"

She continued. "Only six people, during the Bakumatsu, knew my gender - Katsura Kogorou, Takasugi Shinsaku, Okami-san, Saitou Hajime - though he was an accident -, a man named I'izuka…"

She raised a hand, and pointed at the wanderer. "And him."

She paused. "Though personally, I always thought at least some of the rest of the Shinsengumi figured it out, what with the way some of them were always sort of flirting…"

Kaoru spoke softly. "So…_you_...are the Hitokiri Battousai?!"

"Interesting!" Gohei called out, advancing.

Despite having just seen the rurouni take out so many men, and claim to be the most feared killer in Japan, Kaoru couldn't help but notice that the tiny woman seemed even more small and slender next to the giant - she barely came up to his waist!

Gohei grinned as he spoke. "I didn't think you were that strong the other

day – you were hiding your strength!"

The rurouni gazed up at him, expressionless. "I'm not like you; I don't like mindless violence, so I hesitated when I should have finished you the other day. I regret that now."

Her eyes narrowed even more. "Don't worry; I'll make up for it."

"You're confident." Said Gohei mockingly. "Or maybe just _arrogant_."

He slowly unsheathed his sword, grinning at the sound.

"This world doesn't need two Battousai's! The name should belong to me!"

He raised his sword to strike – only for the rurouni to vanish.

"Eh?" his eyes widened, confused.

"Up here." Came a cold voice. Gohei looked up, to see the rurouni above him, ragged sleeves flying back like the wings of some great bird, bloody hair flying around a pale perfect face, offset by narrow amber eyes, and with the cross shaped scar drawn in red across one cheek. _Demon…_ he barely had time to think to himself – before the rurouni landed, sword striking Gohei so hard he crashed into the ground, as Kihei and Kaoru could only watch helplessly. _So…strong…_he thought to himself, before unconsciousness came to him on black wings.

"I have no attachment to the name the name Battousai." The rurouni said to Gohei's unconscious body. "But I won't allow a man like you to have it either."

The wanderer got up from his slouch against the wall. "Well, that's taken care of." He said.

"Almost." She answered – and turned to face Kihei.

"You're the only one left." She said, voice cold as snow. "Shall we test…" she raised the sakabatou in front of her, and then flipped it delicately to the sharp edge. "…the sharpness of this blade?" She asked him.

Kihei fell back against the wall, frothing at the mouth as with a tinkle he lost control of his bladder.

The rurouni's nose wrinkled delicately as she plucked the deed from Kihei's limp hand. "It figures," She spoke to her partner, "that a man who would arrange such a thing would be the worst kind of coward."

He snorted in agreement as she ripped the deed into little pieces.

Kaoru watched, eyes wide, as the rurouni spoke – this time to her. "My apologies Kaoru-dono. I didn't want to hide from or deceive you, but over the past ten years, I've learned that's it is best if my identity isn't known." She looked over her shoulder and smiled at Kaoru - with gentle violet eyes.

"I really am sorry." She said, before turning and beginning to walk to the door.

Kaoru tried to find her voice. "W…" She licked her lips. "W…" Damnit they were almost at the door! "W…WAIT A MINUTE!"

The rurouni's eyes widened as she oro-ed to herself.

"How am I supposed to fix this mess by myself?!" Kaoru asked. "Look at the floor!" The two travelers did, seeing that where Gohei had been sent headfirst into it there was a great big whole. The rurouni oro-ed again. "I could care less about someone's past!" Kaoru continued, glaring at them.

"You should have cared more about Kihei's past." The wanderer muttered.

Kaoru looked at him slanty eyed. "I'm working on it."

"It's better if I go." The rurouni said gently. "You can finally work to clear the disgrace form your school now, but it would be bad if the real Battousai stayed here - you'd loose everything."

"I didn't say I wanted the Battousai to stay." Kaoru called out. 'I want the rurouni to -" she pulled back and put her hands over her mouth. Idiot, idiot, idiot! She chanted to herself. Now they'd never stay!

She turned around quickly so they wouldn't see her eyes fill with tears. Damnit, she didn't want to be alone in the dojo anymore! One of the reasons she was so excepting of Kihei was that he'd been a presence in a far to empty dojo after her father had died. She didn't want to be alone again…

"W-well, fine! If you have to leave, then leave!" she said, before softening her voice a bit. "But if you're leaving, at least tell me your name. 'Battousai' is a warriors name – your parents can't have given it to you…"

Silence, then the sound of the door closing. Her shoulders slumped a little.

"Kenshii."

She turned around - and there were the wanderer's, one smirking slightly, and one smiling softly at her. "Himura Kenshii." The rurou- no _Kenshii_, said softly. "That is my name…today." She titled her head at the man beside her. And that's Enishi, Yukishiro Enishi."

Kaoru gazed wide eyed at them, a happy, bubbling feeling growing in her chest. They were going to _stay!_

"We're a little tired of traveling, so if you don't mind, may we stay with you a while?"

Kaoru beamed.

_And so the story begins, in the eleventh year of Meiji, with the arrival of two wanderers, Yukishiro Enishi and Himura Kenshii._

_

* * *

_

A/N: It's DONE!!!!! And as an apology for taking so long with this chapter, here are some omake's.

**Omake**

"And he's Enishi, Yukishiro Enishi."

"Eh? But if _he's_ Yukishiro, and _you're _Himura - then you're not married?"

Violet and turquoise eyes widened simultaneously as Enishi face planted, and Kenshii became swirly eyed. "Orororo."

Kaoru blushed. "Well how was I supposed to know they'd react like that?" She muttered to herself. "It's a perfectly reasonable assumption to make."

**Omake II**

"Wait a minute." Kaoru suddenly burst out. "You…" she said, pointing to Enishi, "…said you were eight years old when Battousai first appeared."

"Yes…and?" He answered. "Battousai was active for five years until Toba Fushimi, and its been ten years since Toba Fushimi, so you…" she did some quick calculations in her head, "…must be twenty three!"

"Yes…soooo?" Enishi prompted, interested in where she was going with this.

She turned and pointed at Kenshii. "But then, if you were old enough to fight in the Bakumatsu, then how old are you?!"

"How old indeed…" Kenshii said, turning away to count on her fingers.

"You don't know your own age?!!!"

Kaoru suddenly paused as she realized something "But, even if you were really young when you were Battousai, you'd still have to be in your late twenty's!"

Kenshii beamed. "That's right!"

"How can you look like that at your age! You look younger then me! Prettier too," she muttered to herself.

Kenshii simply hummed, whilst Enishi laughed to himself in a corner. He could tell this was going to be _fun!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Rating: **T, for blood, violence, and future adult implications.

**Pairings: **None in this chapter

**Summary: **How would things have been different, if Himura Kenshin had been born a girl? Genderbender AU, going from the beginning of the series to the end…

**Chapter summary: **Kenshii gets in more trouble about her sword and meets an old friend from the Bakumatsu, Kaoru learns a bit more about why Kenshii is a rurouni and Enishi goes to visit his sister…

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It belongs to Nobuhiro Watsuki, Shounen Jump, etc.

**Rurouni Kenshii**

**Chapter Three**

_A week after the Hiruma brothers have gone and the violence of the false Battousai has been put to an end, Adjutant Master of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu Kamiya Kaoru has rushed about recalling her students to revive her school…_

_But…_

"Not a single one!" Kaoru said, fuming. "Not a single one has come back, the cowards! This is unbelievable!"

From where she was doing the laundry, Kenshii looked up, eyes wide and gentle. "It's because we live in an age of culture and enlightenment," she said, folding the now clean sheet. "Once things change, it's hard to go back."

All of a sudden, Kaoru was in her face. "Speaking of unbelievable, what about your age? 28? It's a lie, a trick! Apologize and tell me the truth!"

Kenshii backed away slowly, eyes wide. "Would you prefer 30?"

Kaoru shook her head, deadpan. "Not good enough."

"Don't be so picky, stick girl." Enishi jumped down from where he'd been lounging on the roof of the engawa.

"Don't call me stick girl!" Kaoru shouted at him.

"Don't pick on Kenshii!" he shouted back. "Just because she's too nice and puts up with your mood swings…"

Kaoru stuck her tongue out at him, before brightening and turning to Kenshii, proving Enishi's point.

"Oh, that reminds me - today I'm going to the market, will you two come with me? I need to buy more than usual, so I'll need more hands…"

Kenshii smiled brightly. "We'd love to Kaoru- dono."

"Speak for yourself." Enishi snorted. "I have something to do today."

Kaoru nodded. She didn't want that rude man around in any case – how could Kenshii stand him? If they weren't related and they weren't married…

Oh well. There were some things that would just have to remain mysteries.

"I'll see you at the front gate in five minutes, okay?" she said to Kenshii, who nodded and waved her away.

After Kaoru was gone, there was silence for a moment, before Kenshii spoke.

"You were born in Edo - I mean Tokyo, weren't you Eni-chan."

"Yeah - and stop calling me that."

Though usually this would cause Kenshii to start teasing, her expression was serious. "Are you going to visit _her?_"

Enishi tensed. "…yes."

"I'll see you soon then." Kenshii nodded, and then went to go meet Kaoru, leaving Enishi alone.

* * *

As she walked through the streets of Tokyo slowly, feet encumbered by her white, red and black kimono, Kaoru was pondering her new visitor.

_You wouldn't think she'd been the Hitokiri Battousai to look at her. _

She thought, watching as Kenshii bumped into a man and apologised sweetly.

_After the Bakumatsu, all the old Ishin Shishi patriots lay down their swords and took positions in the new government. If she wanted honour or money or power she could have it without even asking, so why…?_

Kaoru was shaken out of her thoughts by Kenshii turning towards her with a sweet smile. "Is there something you wanted to ask me?" she asked. "You have a question in your eyes."

Kaoru hesitated, before remembering her words last time she'd been at the market. _We all have things in our past that we don't want to talk about…_

She twitched. "Not at all," she shouted, "it's your sword - you can't just walk around with a sword these days!"

Kenshii waved her hands in an effort to calm Kaoru down.

"But just two years ago, lots of people wore them." She said. "Look, its not bothering anybody." She gestured around her, and true enough, no one seemed to care at all that a woman was walking around with a sword strapped to her back.

"But what are you going to do when the police find it, like last time?" Kaoru snapped, "They won't _care _that it's a Sakabatou."

Kenshii shrugged, still smiling. "If it happens it happens," she said pragmatically, causing Kaoru to huff in exasperation, before she smiled cunningly. "Well then," Kaoru said with false cheerfulness, "let's start with the shopping." Her eyes gleamed, and for a moment Kenshii was reminded of the tales of mischievous shape-shifting tanuki spirits. "You can get the soy sauce, miso, and salt." Kaoru finished.

"Oro!" Kenshii exclaimed. "All the heavy things!"

"Don't complain!" Kaoru sang out happily, before waving Kenshii into the shop.

As Kaoru turned to get the things she needed, a coach rolled up behind her with a clatter of wheels on cobblestones.

"Excuse me, miss," came a deep voice. "I'm a little lost – could you possibly direct me to the police station?" The older man was wearing a cape made of fine cloth, and had a bushy black walrus moustache.

"Oh, yes…" Kaoru turned and pointed up the road, "you just turn right at the large street ahead."

"Thank you." The man nodded, before calling up to his driver. "Let's hurry."

As the carriage rattled away, Kaoru blew a strand of hair out of her eyes thoughtfully. "That startled me. I wonder where he's from; I haven't seen him before…"

Suddenly, she brightened. "Oh well, back to shopping."

Inside the carriage, the man, lit a cigar and blew a strand of smoke into the air. _Are you really in this town? _He thought. _Are you really here…Himura Battousai?

* * *

_

As rowdy noises echoed around the market square, Kaoru looked up from where she was inspecting a daikon.

"What's this commotion?" She asked a workman who was passing by. "What's going on?"

The workman turned to look at her as he answered. "The police caught someone. One of the people who were breaking the sword banning act a few days ago - the pretty girl with red hair."

The daikon broke.

* * *

Enishi nodded in thanks to the flower merchant as he studied the bundle of flowers in his hands.

_I don't get it nee-chan…what's so good about irises? Other flowers are prettier, why don't I get you those?_

_A gentle look from deep black eyes, a soft smile curling pale lips up, and the soft scent of white plums…_

_I like irises best, because they're like me – they look most beautiful in the rain._

Enishi stretched as a ray of sunlight broke through the clouds. He hoped nee-chan would like the flowers.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the marketplace, Kenshii was backed up against a wall – literally.

"You can't run away!" cried a policeman.

Kenshii raised a hand to scratch her head, taking in the situation. There were half a dozen police officers around her in a semicircle, carrying long poles and hemming her in with her back to a wall.

"That's true, you're very persistent."

She sighed.

"I suppose there's nothing to be done - I'll go peace-"

"Out of the way!"

"-fully…" She blinked.

The people at the back of the crowd were being roughly shoved forward by a gang in…uniforms?

"Sword-bearing police coming through!"

**Sword-bearing police – **_the policemen permitted to wear swords. An elite group, selected from among the best for their ability at Kenjutsu._

Kenshii watched silently as the group came forward – whilst most of the men were roughly shoving people to the sides, one man was simply walking forward, eyes narrow and set on the scene before him.

Tentatively reaching out with her senses, her eyes narrowed at what they were telling her - the man stank of blood lust, like a miasma of rotten sewage around him.

This man didn't want to see justice done; he just wanted to see blood.

As the man stopped in the area his men had cleared, one of the policemen who had Kenshii surrounded stepped forward, nervously saluting.

"Cap-captain Ujiki!" stuttered the policeman.

Without even looking at him, the newly dubbed Captain Ujiki answered. "Good work. We'll take it from here. Return to headquarters."

Sweating, the policeman answered. "B-But she hasn't shown any sign of drawing her sword, and she just agreed to go peacefully…"

Realising his superiors eyes were on him for the first time, the poor policeman sweated even more, but gamely struggled to continue on.

"…so we shouldn't need any help to bring her in…"

The policeman was interrupted by the hilt of the captain's sword crashing into his nose, crushing the cartilage and sending the policeman reeling back to the ground as blood splattered out of his nose.

Kenshii's eyes narrowed.

"Are you trying to give me advice?" Captain Ujiki said, ignoring the pain of the man on the ground before him. "If I say get out of here, get out of here."

His eyes landed on Kenshii. Though her face was smooth and expressionless, inside a part of her was worried. This man was insane, and you could never quite anticipate what someone insane would do – you could make a good guess, but there was always the possibility of failure, and failure was _not_ acceptable.

"What's this?" Ujiki questioned mockingly. "Looks like a nice girl…"

Suddenly he drew his sword, so swift it was practically a blur, and the gathered crowd gasped as a woman covered her eyes.

Kenshii didn't move, not even paying attention to the sword that was currently only an inch or two from the end of her nose.

Captain Ujiki's eyes got even crazier, if that was possible, the irises contracted around the small dots of his pupils. "Why don't you draw your sword?" he asked, voice deceptively calm. "You must be pretty confident in your abilities to be wearing a sword in Tokyo."

Kenshii raised a hand and delicately used two fingers to push the sword down, away from her face.

"Why would I draw my sword recklessly?" she asked, voice emotionless. "I have no reason to show off."

"Humph." Ujiki smirked, drawing his sword back and resting it on his shoulder, before his eyes flashed and he swung.

Eyes wide from where she was watching, having just managed to arrive, Kaoru barely stifled the cry that wanted to burst out of her throat - she'd grown up around swords, and the first thing she'd learned was that they were _dangerous, _she didn't want to distract Kenshii at a crucial moment and get her injured.

Kenshii's expression didn't change as the captain's sword came towards her neck – and cut through the tie holding back her hair.

Ujiki smirked as long red locks settled over her kimono, and now there was a difference in his expression. It was still dark, still full of bloodlust, but now there was another kind of lust. "Next thing I cut will be your kimono." He said softly. "Draw your sword."

"Can you…really be the police…?" Kenshii questioned softly, her eyes narrow and a cold, hard blue.

"That's right!" crowed Ujiki, smug as he rested his sword on his shoulder. "Permitted to wear swords, licensed to kill, the sword-bearing police!"

Kaoru watched, eyes tormented.

_I don't understand. _She thought, flashing back to Kenshii beating Gohei and his thugs. _She can beat him, I know she can - why won't she draw her sword?_

The crowd had had enough. "This is tyranny!" yelled one. "Don't push it cop!" shouted another. "Leave her alone, you perverts!"

Ujiki smirked, turning so the crowd wasn't at his back. "Jeering from the crowd." He purred, sickly smirking. "You must be pretty brave…"

He turned to his men. "Arrest them! All of them." They drew their swords, excitement showing in their expressions - but Ujiki wasn't finished. "If any resist..." His eyes narrowed as his smirk stretched into a grin, "…kill them."

Panicked the crowd fled, Kaoru hemmed in by the press of bodies and unable to help. The police chased after them, grinning wider with every panicked scream –

_Snick!_

"_Don't touch them!" _Came an enraged voice. The crowd froze, and Kaoru shivered at the sheer anger radiating from the small, red headed figure dressed in black. "Don't touch a single one of them – if you want an opponent, I'm here."

Ujiki looked at narrow amber eyes – and smiled.

* * *

Enishi shivered.

"I feel like someone just walked over my grave." He murmured, before turning back to the figure before him.

"It's nice to see you again nee-chan. I missed you." He sighed. "I think you'd like Kenshii though. Yes, she was the Hitokiri Battousai, and the one who killed Akira-san, but…well, it's complicated. She took me in when I had no-one, even though I was a real brat then…"

He smiled.

"I remember you always looked so strained whenever I had a temper tantrum…"

The smile faded. "I'm sorry nee-chan. Maybe, if I hadn't been so selfish, if I had paid more attention to the look in your eyes, you wouldn't…be gone." He closed his eyes and bowed his head.

"She reminds me of you, you know." He said so softly that he could barely hear himself. "I didn't realise it at first, when I hated her for taking away your happiness, for making you sad, for making you-" he stopped, choking on his words, and then continued.

"She has trouble showing her emotions like you, or at least she did – she's gotten better at it, these past ten years. And she feels so deeply, just like you…"

"I'm sorry nee-chan." He said, his voice soft.

He bowed his head. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you…but I won't make that mistake with Kenshii. I will protect her, like I couldn't protect you…"

His voice softened. "…from yourself…"

Leaning forward he gently placed his fingertips on the stone before him. "Nee-chan…"

* * *

"I see, so the rumours of Battousai being here were because of an imposter."

Inside the commissioner's office, two men sat talking. One of the men, who had a big walrus moustache, an expensive uniform, and a cigar in his mouth spoke to the other, a smaller man with round glasses.

"I was so busy settling the matters that rose up from the Seinan war that I haven't been able to get here before now, and I had to rush. I'm sure if I'd had time to think about it and read the reports, I'd have realised…Battousai wasn't that large, and there was no mention of the hair or the scar…"

He suddenly chuckled. "Then again, I've been looking in the entirely wrong direction. He always was sneakily clever, was Kogorou…" the moustached man said reminiscently.

The other man raised his eyebrows. "Katsura Kogorou?"

"Right – he was Battousai's main commander. And he kept a secret…if he hadn't left a letter, no-one would have known, but he wanted Battousai to receive the rewards she deserved – and so do I."

The man with the glasses froze, mouth open. "Sh-she!" he stuttered.

Eyes gleaming, Yamagata Aritomo smiled. "Yes, that was roughly my reaction too."

Suddenly turning serious, he stumped out his cigar. "Himura was never the type of person to show off her strength. She killed yes – she killed many, but it was for the new era, never her own gain."

He raised his eyes, setting them on Uramura's. "Himura saved many Ishin Shishi lives with her sword - including mine. Without Himura Battousai, the revolution would not have been successful. I will find her, and grant her the rewards she deserves – I had planned to give her a job in the emperor's military, but now that I know her gender…"

Uramura blinked. "Ah, yes, that would be rather hard to hide, wouldn't it? It's been a decade since the Bakumatsu, so even if she were young enough then to pass for a boy, she wouldn't be able to now."

Yamagata nodded. "Ah. Himura could act as an advisor, teach, or simply take a position high up in the government, and when she retires or marries, she would receive monetary compensation for all her work." He sighed. "But first I need to _find _her…"

Clearing his throat, Uramura ventured a comment. "About the false Battousai…the culprits were found beaten in front of the station – beaten so badly they weren't even secured as none of them could move enough to be a threat."

Yamagata blinked. "Do you know who did it?" he asked.

Uramura pushed his glasses up his nose nervously. "It's probably just talk but…they claim it was the 'real one'. The real Battousai."

Eyes wide, Yamagata gaped slightly. "What..."

Just then, the door burst open, revealing a panting young man in a police uniform. "It's terrible chief!"

Spluttering, Uramura rose. "Idiot! There's a guest here! Can't you knock?"

The young policeman snapped into a salute. "I apologize sir! But it's the sword-bearing police…"

Uramura frowned. "Ujiki! He's at it again I suppose!"

"Sword-bearing police?" Yamagata asked. "I haven't heard that name."

"It's a group of swordsmen. They were formed to deal with the fake Battousai problem, but even after he's in jail they're still hanging around – and though they were formed by orders from Tokyo, their captain and most of the men are from Satsuma."

Yamagata frowned as he realised what that meant. "I see, they can be arrogant, as Satsuma are the ones in charge of the police, as we Choushu are in charge of the army."

As Yamagata began to gather up his travelling coat and hat Uramura turned to the young officer. "What did they do this time?" he questioned, resigned.

The officer swallowed. "A-actually, they're still fighting – and it's only one person."

Uramura gaped. "What!" he shouted. "That's ridiculous! They're some of the finest swordsmen in the country! I can't believe it!"

"But it's true!"

"Who is it?" Uramura asked frantically. "Who is the swordsman!"

The officer hesitated. "W-we don't know…but it's not a swordsman…"

His voice got softer as though he couldn't believe what he was saying. "It's a _woman._"

Yamagata froze.

"A woman!"

"Yes – dressed all in black, with red hair, and she moves faster then the eye can see…"

Yamagata's eyes got wider. Could it be…?

"Oh – and she has a scar on her left cheek, in the shape of a cross!"

_Himura Battousai! I've found you at last!

* * *

_

As Yamagata rushed from the carriage, his eyes widened as he saw Himura Kenshii land from a jump, followed by the last standing members of the sword corps falling to the ground, crying from the pain of broken bones and crushed ligaments.

Amber eyes stared into the maddened eyes of Captain Ujiki.

"And then there was one…"

Somehow the fact that the words were spoken in such a sweet voice made them even more terrifying. Ujiki sweated as he raised his sword into the guard position.

Kenshii felt his ki out again, and frowned inwardly, though her face didn't move from its frozen expression. The man in front of her truly was mad, and though normally she would try to convince him to stop terrifying the townspeople, she doubted he would actually use the chance she would give him.

She nodded to herself as she decided – the policemen from before had seemed reasonable, and brave to stand up to Ujiki. She would get rid of this rabid dog that dared to call itself a swordsman, and then allow herself to be arrested for violating the sword banning act.

Her eyes narrowed at Ujiki, as he raised his sword so it was shoulder height and parallel to his head. She recognised the stance.

"Come." She said softly, and he charged.

In the crowd Kaoru's eyes widened. _That stance…it's the 'ni-no-tachi irazu' style of Jigen Ryu – the best school in Satsuma!_

"Stop Ujiki!" Uramura cried out. "That woman is -"

"Your captain Ujiki is a fool." Yamagata said simply. Uramura turned to him. "But that stance! Ujiki is a master of Jigen Ryu! That's one of the strongest sword styles in Japan!"

Yamagata looked at him, before turning back to Ujiki and Kenshii. "One of." He said softly. "Yes, the Jigen Ryu is certainly unique and very strong, but…"

Ujiki finished his charge and swept his sword down - onto air.

From above Kenshii narrowed her eyes and calculated. She didn't want to kill the dog, only make sure he would never use a sword again, so she had to make sure she didn't break his back.

"…Against Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu it is nothing."

As she landed, sheathing her sword, Ujiki fell to the floor. Most of the people hadn't even seen her swing.

For a moment, everything was silent, as if the world itself was afraid of breaking the moment, and disturbing the tableau of the red-haired woman, ragged black sleaves blowing slightly from the wind of her movement, bangs shadowing her eyes.

Then – the sound of geta clattering on cobblestone as Kaoru ran up to her house guest.

"Kenshii! Are you alright?" As Kenshii turned towards Kaoru, she held her breath – then let it out in a huff of relief as she saw that not only was Kenshii unharmed, her eyes were violet again.

Kenshii smiled softly, her eyes closing. "Ah, I'm alright Kaoru-dono. Thank you for asking." She bowed slightly in thanks.

As if Kaoru had broken a spell, all of a sudden the crowd rushed Kenshii, crying out in congratulations.

"Well, done! That showed them! Come have a drink with us!" As the crowd crushed them Kaoru yelped and Kenshii oro-ed.

"Himura!" Kenshii turned and her eyes widened as she saw the two men. "I've finally found you." Yamagata continued. 'I've been looking for ten years…"

"Yamagata-san." Kenshii said softly as she squirmed her way free of the crowd. "You've grown a moustache."

Yamagata walked over to them as policemen started pushing the crowd away and gathering up the sword corps.

Kaoru stared at the man she recognised from the carriage – the one who had asked her for directions to the police station.

Yamagata-san, Kenshii had called him.

Could he be Yamagata Aritomo, General of the Army?

One of the greatest of the Ishin Shishi…

"Himura," said Yamagata, holding out his hand, "come, the carriage is waiting."

Kenshii tilted her head curiously. "Carriage?"

"Of course!" Yamagata exclaimed. "Many from our former unit have been waiting for you to return! It is time you received the rewards you have so justly earned!"

"Rewards?" Kenshii questioned, tense. She didn't _think_ Yamagata-san would kill her, but she'd been wrong before…

"The payment you left before receiving, the honour due to a patriot as great as you, and the position in our government that is rightly yours." Yamagata explained.

Relaxing slightly, Kenshii tilted her head. "Honour, money, power…you really think I fought for any of those?" she said softly.

"Of course not!" Yamagata said, affronted. "You fought for a new era where all could live in peace! But you left before you could be rewarded!"

"Look around you Yamagata-san." Kenshii said, gesturing around at the marketplace. "Look at the children playing, and the sun shining, at the shops full of food. Look at the people who walk freely, heads held high. This is all the reward I desire. And besides…"

She smiled bitterly. "I don't feel the slightest longing for the _glorious_ work of the hitokiri."

"What!" Yamagata stepped forward, face red. "If you are talking about the assassinations, don't worry about them! They were simply part of the great work of the Ishin Shishi!"

Kenshii raised an eyebrow, face expressionless. "Running up behind someone in the rain and killing them and their bodyguards before they could even scream was part of the _great _work of the Ishin Shishi?" You could barely hear the sarcasm. "There is a _reason_ Hitokiri Battousai is considered a demon Yamagata-san – I have no interest in waking that demon from its sleep."

Yamagata was flustered. "Yes, some hated the hitokiri, but those people-"

"Are suppressed by government authority?" Kenshii's voice whipped out like a lash, sending Yamagata back a step, eyes wide.

She softened slightly, nodding towards where Ujiki was being carried off, his eyes rolled up to show the whites. "To think like that leads to conceit and arrogance, just like it did to the sword corps." Her voice got softer. "…just like it did the shogunate…"

She looked Yamagata in the eye. "We once fought together for an ideal with our swords. It wasn't for power or for glory, but to create a peaceful world where people could live without fear. And, if you should forget about that, then what did we fight the revolution for?"

Yamagata was silent. Kenshii turned to go. "If we forget what we fought for, then we are not revolutionaries – just usurpers."

"But Himura!" Yamagata called. Kenshii and Kaoru turned to face him. "The times have changed! It is the Meiji era, and there is an edict against wearing swords! The samurai have been abolished – it's not like the Bakumatsu!" He stepped forward, desperate to make her see. "In this world, in this era, without government power one sword can do nothing!"

Smiling, Kenshii placed her hand on Kaoru's shoulder, causing her to look down in surprise. "But with one sword, I can protect the people around me." Kaoru glanced up at her, eyes wide and a soft blush on her cheek. Kenshii …

"As long as I have this one sword, I can protect the happiness of those in my sight, one by one. That is enough."

Yamagata's eyes widened, as Kenshii took her hand down and turned to go. "I'm still the same as the old days Yamagata-san, except that the Hitokiri is now the rurouni. Good day."

Watching the two women walk away, Yamagata was surprised by the soft voice from behind him. "Commissioner…"

He turned to face Uramura, suddenly looking very tired and very old.

"Judging by the townspeople's actions, I think it is obvious who is at fault here." He said.

Uramura nodded. "Of course."

Pushing his glasses up his nose, Uramura smiled. "As her sword represents no danger in this matter, I think we can close our eyes."

With a small smile on his face, Uramura looked at where the two women were leaving. "Because of the fake Hitokiri Battousai," he said "I imagined someone more dangerous."

He smiled.

"But now I see…the real one is different."

* * *

Kaoru tilted her head back, letting the wind ruffle her ponytail. The sun was setting, and she could already tell it was going to be a lovely night.

She looked at Kenshii as she walked ahead, red hair streaming down the back of her yukata. _I think… I'm beginning to understand now – why Kenshii became a rurouni, but…_

…_there's still one more mystery…_

Kenshii smiled. "You still have a question in your eyes." She said softly.

Kaoru hesitated. She really wanted to know… but would Kenshii get upset?

She looked over to wear Kenshii was smiling at her, looking incredibly patient.

"Why do you put up with him?" she burst out. She hesitated, but then continued on, eager to ask her question before she lost her nerve. "He's so _irritating_! And arrogant! And mean, and sarcastic, and-"

Kenshii interrupted. "Tell me Kaoru-dono – what is the first rule of sword care?"

Kaoru blinked, but answered. "Always clean your sword." She answered.

"Ah." Kenshii nodded. "And the second?"

"Always sheathe your sword."

Kenshii smiled at her. "Do you know why that is?"

Kaoru nodded. "Sheathing the sword prevents it from being exposed to water that could rust it or could make the steel more brittle and easier to break."

"Very true – but that is not all a sheathe does. A sheathe protects a sword form the elements, yes – but it also protects it from itself."

"From itself?"

"Yes. When the sword is sheathed, it prevented form slashing wildly, and getting soaked in blood that causes deterioration and rust."

Kaoru hesitated. She got the feeling that they were talking about more then swords right now, but she didn't quite understand what Kenshii was getting at.

"What does this have to do with you and Enishi?" she asked.

"It's quite simple," Kenshii smiled, "Hitokiri Battousai was a drawn sword, soaked with blood – Enishi is my sheathe."

Kaoru blinked, feeling strangely ashamed. The sheer feeling in those four words…_Enishi is my sheathe…_

_Kenshii…_

Kenshii started to walk again, huffing as she swiped a lock of hair out of her face. She needed to get another hair tie…

Kaoru looked as Kenshii fussed at her hair, and then smiled.

Still smiling, Kaoru grabbed the end of her ribbon – a blue one this time, the colour of the morning sky – and pulled it off. Her hair settled along her back like a river of ink.

Kenshii's eyes widened in shock as she felt cool hands lifting her hair, pulling it back from where it had been falling in her face.

"Kaoru-dono?" she questioned "What are you doing?"

"That nasty policeman broke your hair tie, and it looked like it was getting in your way."

Kenshii turned wide eyes on her, before feeling behind her head and pulling the ribbon to where she could see it.

"Oro?"

Kaoru laughed.


End file.
